CCM vows industrial revival

KILIMANJARO: CCM presidential candidate, Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan has pledged to revive idle factories across the country and ensure they are either handed to new investors or placed under cooperative ownership to create jobs for young people.

Addressing a campaign rally at Mashujaa grounds in Moshi Municipality yesterday, President Samia said the town, once known for vibrant industries, had lost many factories that collapsed after privatisation and must regain its industrial base.

“Our goal is to bring them back to life by giving them to serious investors, including cooperatives. We have strengthened cooperatives enough to manage factories, and they will be given priority where possible,” she told a campaign rally.

Citing Kilimanjaro Region, President Samia said the government had already revived the Kilimanjaro Machine Tools (KMTC) factory, which is now producing spare parts for other industries.

“If re-elected, the CCM’s government will strengthen this plant further and guarantee it enough raw materials and coal. We are already at the final stage of talks to open the Mchuchuma and Liganga mines, which will supply inputs to KMTC and other factories,” she said.

On tourism, Dr Samia said the sector had become a major source of income and employment f o r youths.

She said hotel investments and the number of tourists had increased, and that the government aims to reach eight million annual visitors in the next five years.

“We are determined to sustain this growth so that tourism continues to support livelihoods,” she said.

She highlighted improvements in health services, citing the completion of a new maternal and child health block at Mawenzi Regional Referral Hospital.

Dr Samia further said deliveries at the hospital had risen from 260,486 to 328,502 annually, while maternal and child deaths had dropped significantly.

The CCM Presidential Candidate added that Mawenzi hospital now offers intensive care, dialysis, neonatal and MRI services, and with KCMC the government had built a radiotherapy unit for cancer patients.

“No one from Kilimanjaro will have to travel to Dar es Salaam for radiotherapy again,” she said.

She said her government, if elected will complete the upgrading of Moshi, Mwanga and Rombo hospitals and ensure all essential medicines are available.

On water services, she said phase one of the Same– Mwanga–Korogwe water project has been completed, with phase two on the pipeline, while the Hai and Rombo schemes worth 3.390bn/- and 9.8bn/- respectively were also underway.

On infrastructure, Dr Samia promised to construct the 31km Kahe–Airport bypass under TACTIC, with 17km already budgeted, and finish village roads in Moshi, Kibosho and Vunjo constituencies.

“All the roads we have started to build will be completed to tarmac standard,” she said.

She also pledged to provide 10,000 tractors for farmers nationwide and increase land for livestock keepers from 3.6 million hectares to six million hectares, alongside supporting modern pasture production.

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Moshi Urban parliamentary candidate Ibrahim Shayo said 1.48tri/- had been invested in Kilimanjaro in the past four years, including 238bn/- in his constituency for health, education and infrastructure.

“We received 4.7bn/- for loans to women, youths and people with disabilities and 6.9bn/- through TASAF. Residents have every reason to vote CCM on October 29,” he said.

He added that tricycle and motorcycle taxi operators had benefitted from reduced fines, while training costs at VETA had dropped from 180,000/- to 30,000/-.

“Business people are also grateful for a simplified tax payment system and we promise to keep paying taxes willingly,” Shayo said, urging Moshi to be elevated to city status and calling for the Manyema market to be given a title deed.

Rombo parliamentary candidate Prof Adolf Mkenda said strategic projects had transformed his constituency, citing 8.6bn/- allocated for the Lake Chala water project and the ongoing construction of the Rombo–Tarakea tarmac road.

“Banana farming must become commercial, reaching beyond national markets,” he said, noting that health centres had increased from four to seven during Dr Samia’s tenure.

Special Seats MP Esther Maleko said the new maternal and child block at Mawenzi Hospital had reduced maternal deaths from 51 to 33 per 100,000 live births in four years.

“This progress shows why we must continue with CCM’s leadership,” she said.

Dr Samia concluded her Kilimanjaro campaign at Bomang’ombe in Hai District, before commencing her Arusha trail today with a car stoppage at Usa River, where she was received by thousands of supporters.